2020 US Olympic Marathon Trials bidders - Atlanta, Austin, Chattanooga, Orlando - Who you got?

rojo wrote:

We just got the following press release from USATF.

USATF wrote:

Four cities declare intent to bid for 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon

INDIANAPOLIS - Four cities have declared their intent to submit bids to host the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon, USATF announced Friday.

Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Orlando, Florida all have officially declared their intent to bid to host the Olympic Trials. As was the case in 2012 in Houston and 2016 in Los Angeles, the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials for women's and men's marathon will be contested on the same day early in the year, providing a focused, single-day showcase for the country's top runners.

"To have four new bidders for the Olympic Trials Marathon speaks to the attractiveness of the property and the support for our increasingly successful American marathon corps," USATF CEO Max Siegel said. "We look forward to taking the Olympic Trials to a new city to select one of the world's best Olympic marathon teams."

2017 was one of the most successful years on record for American marathoners. Shalane Flanagan became the first American woman in 40 years to win the TCS NYC Marathon; Galen Rupp was the first American man since 2002 to win the Bank of America Chicago Marathon and was second at the Boston Marathon; Amy Cragg won the bronze medal in the women's marathon at the 2017 IAAF World Championships; and Jordan Hasay finished third at both Boston and Chicago, where she became the second-fastest American woman in history.

At the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Rupp took the men's bronze medal, with Jared Ward sixth and Meb Keflezighi 33rd. In the women's 2016 Olympic marathon, Flanagan was sixth, Desi Linden seventh, and Cragg ninth.

Final bids for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon are due March 19. A USATF site selection committee, comprised of the chairs of the USATF Women's and Men's Long Distance Running Committees, a USATF Athletes Advisory Committee representative, USATF technical director and National Office staff, will review and assess all bids. The USATF Board of Directors will make the final site selection for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon this spring, subject to approval by the United States Olympic Committee.

Update: Re-reading the release, we think it's possible another city could be added to the mix but right now it looks like it will be held in one of those 4 cities.

rojo wrote:

We just got the following press release from USATF.

USATF wrote:

Four cities declare intent to bid for 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon

INDIANAPOLIS - Four cities have declared their intent to submit bids to host the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon, USATF announced Friday.

Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Orlando, Florida all have officially declared their intent to bid to host the Olympic Trials. As was the case in 2012 in Houston and 2016 in Los Angeles, the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials for women's and men's marathon will be contested on the same day early in the year, providing a focused, single-day showcase for the country's top runners.

"To have four new bidders for the Olympic Trials Marathon speaks to the attractiveness of the property and the support for our increasingly successful American marathon corps," USATF CEO Max Siegel said. "We look forward to taking the Olympic Trials to a new city to select one of the world's best Olympic marathon teams."

2017 was one of the most successful years on record for American marathoners. Shalane Flanagan became the first American woman in 40 years to win the TCS NYC Marathon; Galen Rupp was the first American man since 2002 to win the Bank of America Chicago Marathon and was second at the Boston Marathon; Amy Cragg won the bronze medal in the women's marathon at the 2017 IAAF World Championships; and Jordan Hasay finished third at both Boston and Chicago, where she became the second-fastest American woman in history.

At the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Rupp took the men's bronze medal, with Jared Ward sixth and Meb Keflezighi 33rd. In the women's 2016 Olympic marathon, Flanagan was sixth, Desi Linden seventh, and Cragg ninth.

Final bids for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon are due March 19. A USATF site selection committee, comprised of the chairs of the USATF Women's and Men's Long Distance Running Committees, a USATF Athletes Advisory Committee representative, USATF technical director and National Office staff, will review and assess all bids. The USATF Board of Directors will make the final site selection for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon this spring, subject to approval by the United States Olympic Committee.

Update: Re-reading the release, we think it's possible another city could be added to the mix but right now it looks like it will be held in one of those 4 cities.

Precious Roy wrote:

I would really hate to see Disney host the trials. Lodging gets very expensive during the Disney marathon. And I wouldn't put it past Disney to make people get a pass to the park to see the marathon trials. Also, the top runners would have to skip fall and spring races. That was one of the major beefs with scheduling in Houston.

Chattanooga is just too small. I would not trust a small race with hosting a big event like the trials.

Absent a big check from Disney to sway the results, I think it is really between Atlanta and Austin. Both would have a hilly trials course, but the NY course in central park was hilly and it was an excellent race. Both cities are set up well with hotels and restaurants. Austin is a bit more user friendly downtown, but Atlanta has rail access from the airport. Atlanta will be the sentimental favorite because of the Olympics and the Peachtree Road Race. But Austin would be a lot of fun for the athletes. My vote is for Austin.